biostudies-literatureHarish ABiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council2474-81https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5010908biostudies-literatureUnknown8(8)The evolutionary origins of viruses according to marker gene phylogenies, as well as their relationships to the ancestors of host cells remains unclear. In a recent article Nasir and Caetano-Anollés reported that their genome-scale phylogenetic analyses based on genomic composition of protein structural-domains identify an ancient origin of the "viral supergroup" (Nasir et al. 2015. A phylogenomic data-driven exploration of viral origins and evolution. Sci Adv. 1(8):e1500527.). It suggests that viruses and host cells evolved independently from a universal common ancestor. Examination of their data and phylogenetic methods indicates that systematic errors likely affected the results. Reanalysis of the data with additional tests shows that small-genome attraction artifacts distort their phylGenome biology and evolutionDid Viruses Evolve As a Distinct Supergroup from Common Ancestors of Cells?PMC5010908BB/G022771/1Harish AKurland CAbroi AGough JfalseDid Viruses Evolve As a Distinct Supergroup from Common Ancestors of Cells?The evolutionary origins of viruses according to marker gene phylogenies, as well as their relationships to the ancestors of host cells remains unclear. In a recent article Nasir and Caetano-Anollés reported that their genome-scale phylogenetic analyses based on genomic composition of protein structural-domains identify an ancient origin of the "viral supergroup" (Nasir et al. 2015. A phylogenomic data-driven exploration of viral origins and evolution. Sci Adv. 1(8):e1500527.). It suggests that viruses and host cells evolved independently from a universal common ancestor. Examination of their data and phylogenetic methods indicates that systematic errors likely affected the results. Reanalysis of the data with additional tests shows that small-genome attraction artifacts distort their phyl2016-01-01T00:00:00Z2016 Aug2026-05-29T20:36:06.353Z2019-03-27T02:23:28ZS-EPMC50109082749731510.1093/gbe/evw175